The Three Degrees of Freemasonry
Entered Apprentice Degree
Opening the Lodge
Opening the Lodge
WM - (*) The brethren will be clothed and in order for opening a lodge.
WM - Is the tiler of the lodge present? If so, he will approach the east
[As TI goes to the East, the JD moves to and waits at the Outer Door.]
WM - [Rises] Brother tiler, your place?
TI - At the outer door.
WM - Your duty?
TI- To guard against the approach of cowans and eavesdroppers and see that none pass or repass except such as are duly qualified and have permission from the Worshipful Master.
WM - You will receive the implement of your office [WM gives TI the Masonic sword.];
Repair to your place and be in the active discharge of your duty.
[WM is seated; JD opens Outer Door. TI goes to his place outside the lodge; JD closes Outer Door and then moves to his place and is seated.]
WM - (*) Brother Senior Warden, are you satisfied that all present are Entered Apprentices?
SW - [Rises] I am satisfied, Worshipful Master, that all present are Entered Apprentices.
When Purge Is Necessary
SW - I am not satisfied, Worshipful Master, but will inquire of my proper officer and report.
SW - Brother Junior Deacon [JD rises, moves to position in front of SD], you will ascertain if all present are Entered Apprentices.
[JD moves around Lodge via North, East, South and West. He halts in front of an unknown brother, asks him to rise, then faces WM.]
JD - Worshipful Master, confusion.
WM - Is there anyone present who can vouch for the brother? [If not vouched for, WM appoints a committee to retire with brother for examination.]
JD - Brother Senior Warden, I am now satisfied that all present are Entered Apprentices.
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WM - (*) Brother Junior Deacon, [SW sits; JD rises.] the first great care of Masons when convened?
JD - To see that the lodge is duly tiled.
WM - You will attend to that duty and inform the Tiler that we are about to open a lodge of Entered Apprentices and direct him to tile accordingly. [JD goes to and opens Outer Door.]
JD - Brother Tiler, we are about to open a lodge of Entered Apprentices, and you are directed to tile accordingly.
[Ti does not respond. JD closes Outer Door, gives (***), is answered by the TI with (***); JD returns to his place.]
JD - Worshipful Master, the lodge is tiled.
WM - How tiled?
JD - By a brother Master Mason at the outer door, armed with the proper implement of his office.
WM - His duty?
JD - To guard against the approach of cowans and eavesdroppers and see that none pass or repass except such as are duly qualified and have permission from the Worshipful Master.
WM - (*) Brother Senior Warden, [JD sits, SW rises.] whence came you?
SW - From a Lodge of the Holy Saints John of Jerusalem.
WM - What came you here to do?
SW - To learn to subdue my passions and improve myself in Masonry.
WM - Then I presume you are a Mason?
SW - I am so taken and accepted among brothers and fellows.
WM - What makes you a Mason?
SW - My obligation.
WM - How do you know yourself to be a Mason?
SW - By having been often tried, never denied and being ready to be tried again.
WM - How shall I know you to be a Mason?
SW - By certain signs, a token, a word and the points of my entrance.
WM - What are signs?
SW - Right angles, horizontals and perpendiculars.
WM - What is a token?
SW - A certain friendly or brotherly grip by which one Mason may know another in the dark as well as in the light.
WM - Where were you made an Entered Apprentice?
SW - In a regularly constituted lodge of Entered Apprentices, duly assembled in a room or place representing the ground floor of King Solomon's Temple.
WM - How many constitute a lodge of Entered Apprentices?
SW - Seven, consisting of the Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, Treasurer, Secretary, Senior and Junior Deacons.
WM - The Junior Deacons's place?
SW - At the right hand of the Senior Warden in the West.
WM - (**) [Officers rise except for WM.] Brother Junior Deacon, your duty?
JD - To attend to all alarms at the outer door, prepare and introduce candidates, carry messages from the Senior Warden in the West to the Junior Warden in the South, and elsewhere about the lodge as directed.
WM - The Senior Deacon's place?
JD - At the right hand of the Worshipful Master in the East.
WM - Brother Senior Deacon, your duty?
SD - To attend to all alarms at the inner door, receive and conduct candidates, introduce and accommodate visiting brethren, carry orders from the Worshipful Master in the East to the Senior Warden in the West, and elsewhere as directed.
WM - The Secretary's place.
SD - On the left of the Worshipful Master in the East.
WM - Brother Secretary, your duty?
Se - To observe the will and pleasure of the Worshipful Master in recording the proceedings of this lodge, transmit a copy thereof to the Grand Lodge when requested, to receive all monies paid into the Lodge and pay them over to the Treasurer, taking his receipt therefor.
WM - The Treasurer's place?
Se - On the right of the Worshipful Master in the East.
WM - Brother Treasurer, your duty?
Tr -To receive all money paid into the Lodge from the hands of the Secretary, keep a just and true account thereof, and pay them out by order of the Worshipful Master and consent of the Lodge.
WM - The Junior Warden's station?
Tr - In the South, Worshipful Master
Combination Secretary-Treasurer
WM - The Secretary-treasurer's place?
SD - On the left of the Worshipful Master in the East.
WM - Brother Secretary-treasurer, your duty?
Se-Tr - To observe the will and pleasure of the Worshipful Master in recording the proceedings of this lodge, transmit a copy thereof to the Grand Lodge when requested, to receive all monies paid into the Lodge, keep a just and true account thereof, and pay them out by order of the Worshipful Master and Consent of the Lodge.
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WM - The Junior Warden's station?
Se-Tr - In the South, Worshipful Master.
WM - Brother Junior Warden, why in the South and your duty?
JW - As the sun in the South at meridian height is the beauty and glory of the day, so stands the Junior Warden in the South, to call the craft from labor to refreshment, superintend them during the hour thereof, and see that none convert the means of refreshment into intemperance or excess; call them to labor at the order of the Worshipful Master, that he may have pleasure and they profit thereby.
WM - The Senior Warden's station?
JW - In the West, Worshipful Master.
WM - Brother Senior Warden, your duty?
SW - As the sun is in the west at the close of the day, so stands the Senior Warden in the West to assist the Worshipful Master in opening and closing his Lodge, pay the craft their wages if any be due, and see that none go away dissatisfied; harmony being the strength and support of all institutions, more especially of ours.
WM - The Master's station?
SW - In the East, Worshipful Master.
WM - Why in the East?
SW - As the sun rises in the East to open and govern the day, so rises the Worshipful Master in the East [WM rises.], to open and govern his Lodge, set the craft at work, and give them proper instruction.
WM - (***) [All rise.] Brother Senior Warden, it is my order that a Lodge of Entered Apprentices be now opened for the dispatch of business. You will report the same to the Junior Warden in the South that the brethren may have due notice and govern themselves accordingly.
SW - Brother Junior Warden, it is the order of the Worshipful Master that a Lodge of Entered Apprentices be now opened for the dispatch of business. You will communicate the same to the brethren, that they, having due notice, may govern themselves accordingly.
JW - Brethren, it is the order of the Worshipful Master that a Lodge of Entered Apprentices be now opened for the dispatch of business. You will take due notice and govern yourselves accordingly.
WM - Together brethren, upon the signs. [All brothers make the Due Guard and Sign of an Entered Apprentice.] (WM*, SW*, JW*)
WM - Before declaring a Lodge open, let us humbly invoke the blessing of Deity. [WM uncovers.]
WM or Ch - Supreme Architect of the Universe, in Thy name we have assembled, and in Thy name we desire to proceed in all our doings. Grant that the sublime principles of Freemasonry may so subdue every discordant passion within us, so harmonize and enrich our hearts with Thine own love and goodness, that the lodge at this time may humbly reflect that beauty and order which reign forever before Thy Throne. Amen.
All respond - So mote it be.
WM - Brother Senior Deacon, you will display the Three Great Lights.
[SD moves slowly to the Altar, bows, then to Lesser Lights, turns North, lights using Right Hand after which he returns to the Altar, turns East. WM uncovers. SD arranges the Altar. WM recovers. SD takes one step back and both give the Due Guard and Sign in unison. SD returns to his place and turns South.]
WM - I now declare this Lodge of Entered Apprentices open for the dispatch of business under the usual Masonic restrictions.
WM - Brother Junior Deacon.
JD - [Due Guard] Worshipful Master [Sign].
WM - Inform the Tiler.
JD - [JD goes to Outer Door and gives (***); answered by TI with (***) and JD opens Outer Door.] Brother Tiler, this Lodge of Entered Apprentices is now open. [TI does not respond.]
JD - [Due Guard] Worshipful Master, [Sign] the duty is performed.
WM - [Optional - Pledge of Allegiance] (*). [All are seated.]
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